to sell a copy of Raffaelle for an original; a trumpery modern Brussels
counterfeit for real old Mechlin; some common French forged crockery for
the old delightful, delicate, Dresden china; and he will quit you with
scorn, or order his servant to show you the door of his study.

Study, by the way,--no, "study" is a vulgar word; every word is vulgar
which a man uses to give the world an exaggerated notion of himself or
his condition. When the wretched bagman, brought up to give evidence
before Judge Coltman, was asked what his trade was, and replied that "he
represented the house of Dobson and Hobson," he showed himself to be
a vulgar, mean-souled wretch, and was most properly reprimanded by his
lordship. To be a bagman is to be humble, but not of necessity vulgar.
Pomposity is vulgar, to ape a higher rank than your own is vulgar, for
an ensign of militia to call himself captain is vulgar, or for a bagman
to style himself the "representative" of Dobson and Hobson. The honest
auctioneer, then, will not call his room his study; but his "private
room," or his office, or whatever may be the phrase commonly used among
auctioneers.

He will not for the same reason call himself (as once in a momentary
feeling of pride and enthusiasm for the profession I thought he
should)--he will not call himself an "advocate," but an auctioneer.
There is no need to attempt to awe people by big titles: let each man
bear his own name without shame. And a very gentlemanlike and agreeable,
though exceptional position (for it is clear that there cannot be more
than two of the class,) may the auctioneer occupy.

He must not sacrifice his honesty, then, either for his own sake or his
clients', in any way, nor tell fibs about himself or them. He is by no
means called upon to draw the long bow in their behalf; all that his